The Ministry of Transport has given a nod to bike taxis in Mumbai, a move sanctioned by the state's Transport Minister, Pratap Sarnaik. He made this announcement during the Budget session.
The problem of traffic in Mumbai is getting worse day by day. It is said with bike taxis being approved, it will bring a relief to city's congestion issue.
This initiative is expected to not only ease the daily commute for residents but also create substantial employment opportunities for the youth. Over 20,000 young men and women across the state will benefit from this initiative.
Key aspects of the proposed policy include:
Rickshaw and taxi drivers' associations in the state had strongly opposed bike taxi services. In this regard, the Rapido company had sought permission to start bike taxis. But the Pune Regional Transport Office had not given permission to the company.
The company had approached the Bombay High Court on this. Meanwhile, the state government had formed a committee to formulate a policy for bike taxi aggregators.
Bike taxis fall under the category of non-transport vehicles. Therefore, they are exempt from the licenses required for taxis and rickshaws, said the taxi and rickshaw drivers' associations.
In June 2024, the government under the leadership of former Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had approved bike taxi services. It is estimated that bike taxi services will start in Mumbai from April.
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